Finer Points

Sometimes, a prickly roommate isn't bad. Like all New Yorkers, cacti thrive in harsh conditions -- and make perfect house plants in even the least hospitable apartment.

If unrefrigerated milk lasts longer than most of your house plants, why not opt for a spiky, virtually unkillable cactus? The aesthetic may be Southwest chic, but the upkeep is pure time-crunched New York -- and think of the green you'll save by not having to replace those wilting lilies and browning ferns again and again.

At Noble Plant on 28th Street, you can (gingerly) pick up everything from a pronged Accuranses ($60-$80) to a rare red aloe ($95), all at about 60 percent off retail price. Owner Aila Markovic also has a beautiful selection of smaller plants: We like the String of Pearls, a trio of stalks piped in tiny white needles ($20), and the Rat Tail, a hanging, blossoming plant for $65-$75 (which, admittedly, would be sweeter by any other name). Just a few steps away, Foliage Garden sells its smaller selection at a similar markdown, and will special-order if you've got a hankering for a prairie prickly not in stock. Check out the Plant Shed's NBA-size spiral cacti for around $150 to $200 -- delivery is about $15, a deal when you consider the prospect of carting home the not exactly embraceable plant yourself. Is there an out-of-town brown thumb in your life? 1-800-Flowers offers a trio of small cacti for $35.

Check out the spring 2001 issue of New York Shops, our guide to the city's best stores, including a six-month roundup of "Sales & Bargains." On sale at newsstands now. To order a copy, call 800-496-7833 ($4.99 plus $2 shipping and handling).